Food safety director vs safety director

The differences between food safety directors and safety directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a food safety director, becoming a safety director takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a safety director has an average salary of $85,687, which is higher than the $69,299 average annual salary of a food safety director.

The top three skills for a food safety director include food service, FDA and HACCP. The most important skills for a safety director are OSHA, DOT, and safety procedures.

Food safety director vs safety director overview

	Food Safety Director	Safety Director
Yearly salary	$69,299	$85,687
Hourly rate	$33.32	$41.20
Growth rate	10%	4%
Number of jobs	141,051	19,507
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	39	42
Years of experience	4	2

What does a food safety director do?

Food safety directors implement regulations and standards in various facilities. As a food safety director, you are responsible for training other inspectors who help inspect the facility and make detailed reports from which you determine how best to maintain safety standards. You will maintain documentation of day-to-day activities, making sure products meet the outlined criteria, educate suppliers, conduct regular safety audits, and promote smooth workflow.

What does a safety director do?

A safety director is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the business and its employees, enforcing strict safety standards, and facilitating safety drills and programs to avoid potential hazards within the office's premises. Safety directors inspect the building's premises, including the office's equipment and other systems, and perform immediate actions even for the smallest inconsistencies. They also create incident and audit reports to discuss with the management and implement or adjust regulations as needed.

Food safety director vs safety director salary

Food safety directors and safety directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Safety Director	Safety Director
Average salary	$69,299	$85,687
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $137,000	Between $55,000 And $131,000
Highest paying City	Concord, NH	South San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	California
Best paying company	CyberCoders	Genentech
Best paying industry	Media	Construction

Differences between food safety director and safety director education

There are a few differences between a food safety director and a safety director in terms of educational background:

	Food Safety Director	Safety Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Cornell University	Stanford University

Food safety director vs safety director demographics

Here are the differences between food safety directors' and safety directors' demographics:

	Food Safety Director	Safety Director
Average age	39	42
Gender ratio	Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1%	Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 9.1% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 9.7% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	10%	4%

Differences between food safety director and safety director duties and responsibilities

Food safety director example responsibilities.

Manage operations and provide support to a team of 245 union employees at various elementary, middle and high school cafeterias.
Prepare HACCP analysis report and provide reports for the areas not meeting the quality standards.
Supervise culinary selection, catering, event planning, and baking/cooking functions and oversee menu development.
Assist with the development and execution of HACCP plans specific to projects and special events.
Ensure collaboration between interdisciplinary teams including the clinical, culinary, and patient food service management staff to improve department efficiency.
Assist in directing total food service operation in accordance with USDA policies and procedures.

Safety director example responsibilities.

Manage institutional compliance with OSHA, EPA, DEP, JCAHO, AOA, NFPA, and other regulatory authorities.
Lead and manage ISO 9001 and ISO 17025 internal, third party, customer and supplier audits for the group.
Manage HSE programs for a national corporation specializing in concrete product manufacturing.
Conduct routine health, safety and environmental inspections in accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910, EPA and NFPA standards.
Indoctrinate and train new employees in CPR, and basic first aid.
Teach CPR, first aid, blood borne pathogens and baby sitting classes.

Food safety director vs safety director skills

Common food safety director skills

Food Service, 10%
FDA, 7%
HACCP, 7%
Continuous Improvement, 6%
Culinary, 6%
Fsma, 5%

Common safety director skills

OSHA, 13%
DOT, 7%
Safety Procedures, 6%
PET, 5%
Patients, 5%
Safety Policies, 4%

Food Safety Director vs. similar jobs

Food Safety Director related careers

Food Safety Director related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Executive Management Industry
Food Safety Director
Food Safety Director vs Safety Director

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs